Handful of Dust
by Cricket Tealeaf
Summary: Follows the events of my story Fractured as investigated by the Sanctuary team. What happens when unsub and abnormal are one and the same...New chapter 9: Issuing in the new phase. Although this is randomness in all it's glory. Poor Will...
1. Chapter 1

_Devens, Massachuessets_

_Will allowed himself a deep sigh of relief. Some distance away, Kate was dragging the abnormal into the back of Henry's van. He looked around at Dr. Magnus and offered her a smile that was both exhausted and grateful. She smiled back at him._

"_That was certainly a disaster avoided," she said to him._

_Will slipped his gun back into it's holster and gave the empty street one last look. He was glad to be leaving his place behind._

_A second later the seeming calm was rent with an explosion. The team was knocked to the ground. Will was first to regain his feet. He took out his gun again and ran forward towards the blasts location._

_"William, no," Dr. Magnus screamed. She swore under her breath and took off after him._

_Kate turned and gave Henry an amused look. "Think we should follow them?"_

_Henry said nothing but stared in the direction that they had disapeared._

_Will hung behind a large SUV. Dr. Magnus was by his side a moment later. "There was a bomb," Will said._

_She stared at him, incredulous. "Excellent profiling, Dr. Zimmerman," she said scathingly._

_He glared at her over his shoulder but made no remark. He moved slowly forward staying low._

_"Bloody hell, only one of them is uninjured," she said. She watched the agent closest to them. He seemed fairly well, aside from some apparent hearing loss. He got to his feet._

_Another one was on the ground, but sitting upright and looking dazed. One of them, obviously the leader of the group paused next to her, assessing her quickly before moving on._

_"Wait," Will said. "There were six of them here. That's what Henry said, right? So where are the other two?"_

_She went deathly pale. "We need to get out of here, William."_

_"We have to help them. Cale is behind this," he said vehemently._

_"We will help them. Just not here and now. For all we know, Cale could have infected the two she took captive. They're the ones that are missing." She tugged at his sleeve. Reluctantly he left the scene with her._

Helen Magnus stared unflinching into the eyes of Cale Monroe, an unassuming young woman by all appearances. A calculating murderer and extremely dangerous abnormal, capable of entering the mind. The malaise was her most useful weapon, palpable terror and despair which destroyed the minds and lives of her victims. It was like a disease in that way, especially the way it spread; once one was infected, those close to the victim could also fall prey.

But here, in this Sanctuary branch, Cale was safely locked behind glass and metal and harmless for the time being. Still a nagging fear knawed at Helen.

Henry came down the stairs, towards Helen. "Doc," he said.

"What is it, Henry," she said, perhaps a little more sharply than she had intended. She winced and opened her mouth to apologize but he was already speaking.

"It looks like one of the agents has been infected. A Jennifer Jareau. She is their media liaison."

"I was afraid that this would happen. The doctors won't know how to treat her. They will think it is post-traumatic, or some such nonsense."

"And she will be dead before they are any wiser. What do you want me to do?"

"Sophie. We need her here. Maybe she can counter the bane. Try to contact Agent Jareau's family if she has one and make it look like the call came from the FBI. You can do that of course," she looked at him half-questioning.

He gave her a reassurring smile. "Will be easy."

"Of course. Send Will down. I need to interrogate her. Maybe he will see something that I miss."

"Got it, boss." Henry hurried back up the stairs and out of sight. After watching him go, she turned her attention back to Cale.


	2. Chapter 2

"I don't understand. What is it that you want me to do," Sophie asked shakily.

_"Enter his mind. He may have been infected along as his colleague," Dr. Magnus said, as if it were an easy task._

_Sophie faltered. "I'm not sure if I can do that."_

_Dr. Magnus smiled at her. "Of course you can. Sophie, I really need you to do this for me. Agent Jareau has a husband and a child. If we can get them in to see her, chances are that will be enough to save her life. But if Dr. Reid has been infected, he doesn't really have anyone to bring him back. So I need you to try to do it for me."_

_Sophie looked to Will for help. "I-um. I don't know Dr. Magnus."_

_"Just try it please?"_

_"Oh-okay."_

* * *

Sophie lay unmoving on the couch. Will stared at her unnerved. "It is seriously weird watching her do that," he said.

"This is not me. This is all your doing. Said you wanted to leave. Well guess what? This is part of it," Sophie said, in an odd toneless voice. Her eyes were tightly shut. Suddenly, they flew wide open. Sophie sat up, gasping for air. Will stumbled backward, startled.

Sophie shook herself, still reeling. "I'd like to see Dr. Magnus, trying to do this," she said a little bitterly.

"She's helping in her own way," Will told her.

Sophie glared at him.

* * *

"It's been two days, Agent Jareau," Dr. Magnus said briskly.

The young woman blinked and seemed to snap out of it a bit. She looked over at Dr. Magnus. "What did you say?"

Helen walked over to her and said again, "I said, you've been here for almost two days. You've got to stop this or they won't let you go home. You're a mess." She looked down at the table in front of them and picked a comb off of it. "Such lovely hair, why would you want to neglect it so?"

"I didn't see the point," was the answer.

Helen shook her head, feeling like she was wasting her time here.

At this point, Agent Jareau began to fall apart all over again. "Something terrible happened."

"I know, dear. Something terrible is always happening. They tell me you are FBI, you should know these things better than I. It doesn't mean that we have the right to shut down." There was a pause. Helen silently wished that she was getting through. "Maybe you would like to see your friends."

"No!"

"Well alright, it was just a suggestion," Helen said, a little taken aback.

"I can't see them. They're going to hate me, I know it."

"I'm sure it's not like that," Helen said trying to calm her.

"I told you no!"

"If you insist. But, for the record, it seems to me like it would help."

"I didn't ask you. I don't even know you."

Helen feigned irritation. "Very well," she said leaving. She halted just beyond the door the room. She glanced back, if only to confirm what she expected. The young agent was to caught up in her misery to notice that she was still there. She didn't wait more than a moment, however. Soon, someone would notice that she wasn't supposed to be there.


	3. Chapter 3

"Why can't this just go smoothly? I'm trying so hard to fix this," Helen said. For the first time in many months, she was actually feeling overwhelmed. In fact, Will couldn't remember seeing her this stressed out before.

"I thought it was coming along," he said.

"_Was_ is right. Spencer Reid has gone missing from his hospital room. This may be all that Cale needs to target him."

"I don't understand. Cale is in the shoe. She's pretty much harmless now. She can't possibly be a threat."

"If she already infected him, which is very likely, even being in the shoe can't stop her." She turned around to face him. "Will, I need you to bring me Sophie."

He shook his head. "She's not really a part of Sanctuary. She shouldn't be involved any more than she already has been. This could get dangerous."

Helen sighed. "I know Will, but I need her. She can counter the damage that Maia causes to some extent."

"What? You said Maia. Who's Maia?"

"Did I? I meant Cale, of course."

"What aren't you telling us, Helen? Who the hell is Maia?"

"Lets cross that bridge when we come to it. Just please get Sophie for me." Will stayed where he was and continued to watch her. She glared at him. "Please do as I say, William."

"I don't like being kept in the dark. You keeping secrets. How the hell are we supposed to accomplish anything if we don't know what we are up against?"

"Fine, I will find her. Wouldn't want you do anything helpful for a change." She stood up and stormed past him.

* * *

"I can't find him," Sophie said, her face worried. "I'm sorry, Dr. Magnus."

"It's okay," Helen assured her. Will was staring at her in that way that he had. The scrutinizing gaze of a profiler. She glared at him. He folded his arms and didn't relent. "I need someone on the inside. Will, want to play for the big leagues?"

Tesla laughed aloud, making his presence in the room noticed for the first time.

Everyone ignored him and Helen continued, "After all, you ARE a profiler."

"Yeah, but I lack their expertise. And besides, I can hardly bluff my way into the FBI."

"What Dr. Expendable is trying to say is that the BAU are men of genius and he," Tesla paused for dramatic effect, "is a trained monkey."

Will took a deep breath, trying not to remark on Tesla's needling, when the latter burst into laughter again at the angry look on Will's face.

Henry cut in. "There is an abnormal in the FBI academy. Twenty-six, From the Dominican Republic, so chances are she is already fluent in Spanish, Creole and French. Stephanie Rivas. We can place her, I think."

Helen nodded, pleased. Atleast someone here was getting things done. She gave Will a meaningful look. He rolled his eyes and looked away. Tesla continued to laugh at him.

* * *

Meanwhile the one called Maia was stirring and spreading her influence...


	4. Chapter 4

_Deming, Arizona 1987_

"_This is madness," Watson groaned. He dropped his binoculars._

"_Actually, I find them completely fascinating," Helen said, her voice full of excitement. "These are some of the most intriguing abnormals."_

_He let out a long suffering sigh. "Yes, with their glorious savagery and documented cannibalism."_

_"They are not exactly human so technically it cannot be considered cannibalism."_

_"Ah...my mistake." _

_"Look, look there is a little one," she cried, growing even more excited._

_He frowned at her but raised his binoculars again. There was, in fact one that appeared to be a boy of three or fours years old. Unlike many of his companions he retained a human appearance. This, however, he found all the more disturbing. The group gorged themselves on the body of a fine chestnut mare, who's previous owners would be none to happy about having lost. As they watched the child looked up and around in their direction. Watson dropped the binoculars again, disgusted. It would have been innocent and sweet-looking under different cicumstances but now only looked so much like a little demon, with the matted, filthy hair, the cold gaze and the gore smeared on it's tiny face._

_"Isn't he darling," she cooed. _

_"Absolutely," he replied, trying to soothe his revolting stomach._

_"Oh there is his mother, I call her Maia. I think that she may be fourteen. It's amazing the way she dotes on her child."_

_"And what do you call the child?"_

Present day... "Henry," Helen called as she walked into his lab.

"I am way ahead of you, doc. I already briefed Rivas and she is good to go. She is slated to exit the academy in two weeks and I can guarentee that she will be immediatly placed within the BAU."

"Wow," she said. "You really are on top of things lately."

"When have I not been?"

"Fair enough. A man has been taken into custody regarding Dr. Reid's appearance. I have sent Will to speak with him."

"Why? What do we need his testimony for?"

"It will keep him out of my hair for a few hours. He's been a thorn in my side these last few weeks."

"Well none of us are happy that you are suddenly so secretive."

"I'm trying to protect my family," she said softly.

"From what?"

"You're prying."

He shook his head. "Whatever. So do you think that this guy is working with Cale somehow?"

"No. Atleast I don't think so. He's not an abnormal and given Cale's superior attitude, I don't believe she would align herself with him. From what I gather he is an old friend of Dr. Reid's and what happened may be unrelated to Cale."

"Maybe Will can determine if Dr. Reid has been infected with her malaise."

"I hope he hasn't. If that is the case than the results would be devastating. The whole team would unravel. They care for one another too much."


	5. Chapter 5

"I can hack any computer. I can build any machine given enough time and material. But what does she ask me to do? 'Oh Henry, I need you to track this guy's scent.' Jesus, Will, I'm a glorified blood hound." The two of them were unloading various machinery from Henry's van.

"Don't tell me you're not glad for the chance at some field work," Will replied.

"Well, yeah, but that's not the point. The point is there are so many more productive things that I can be put to work doing."

Will glanced back toward Sanctuary, pausing in his work."What are you thinking," Henry asked.

"I think that Dr. Magnus is hiding something. She isn't acting like herself. What it could be has me seriously worried."

"I'll show you fear in a handful of dust," Henry said.

Will gave him an odd look. "T.S. Eliot?"

"What? I read."

"Comic books."

"Shut up, Will."

A door nearby slammed shut. The two of them turned to see Kate and Tesla coming their way. Henry paled a little. Will grinned, shaking his head. "I do not envy you."

"You guys are coming," Henry asked them, with a hint of disbelief.

Kate said nothing, just gave him a dark look before jumping in the front seat and slamming the door. Tesla grinned manically at him. More color drained from Henry's face at this sight.

Will headed back to Sanctuary, smiling to himself that it wasn't him, and wondering what Henry had done to piss off Magnus.

* * *

Kate played with the dials, setting the radio to a heavy metal station and turning the volume up. Henry looked over at her, thinking that she looked like nothing more than a petulant teenager, rather than the hardened assassin she actually was. Tesla sat quietly in the back. If he was quiet he was thinking and that never meant anything good. Henry watched him closely from the rearview mirror. At some point, Tesla caught him watching and a knowing smile crept slowly across his face.

Henry shuddered and tried to concentrate. He held the clothing to his nose again and breathed deeply. He rolled down the window and searched for it. Tesla seemed to find this extremely hilarious.

"Do you mind? I'm trying to work here," Henry snarled at him.

Kate rolled her eyes and turned up the music louder. But Tesla leaned forward and said, " Want to take this outside? C'mon, it will be like a real life Twilight."

"Shut up."

But Tesla laughed all the louder.

Henry stopped the van, glad that the ride was finally over and he had found what he was looking for. Kate readied her gun and was the first to get out. Now, she had switched to assassin mode, taking on the look of a cold and calculating killer. He suddenly found himself missing Ashley's hothead. Then he realized that he was alone in the vehicle with Tesla and quickly got out.

An electronic lock on the door, barred their way. Henry pulled something from his pocket that would unlock it in a matter of seconds, whatever the combination. But Tesla pushed him roughly out of the way and begin keying various combinations, his fingers flying at an inhuman speed. After several attempts he snarled at it. Electricity sparked from his fingertips and he sent a concentrated bolt into the innards of the lock. An alarm began to go off and the door seemed to seal itself.

Tesla's eyes turned black, to resemble two pools of ink. He straightened up and looked at Henry, smiling again, this time revealing needle sharp teeth. "Get back," he ordered the two of them, his voice now a deep growl.

Kate and Henry moved quickly, taking refuge behind a dumpster. The screech of metal filled the area. Henry glanced around looking for any possible witnesses, his mind simulataneously working out the plot for a new vampire movie that he could use to explain the situation if someone started asking questions. He shook his head at the thought, marvelling at what the general public would believe in lieu of the unexplained.

Tesla snatched the heavy iron door from it's hinges and threw some ten feet away. It slid for several more. Henry swore, wondering exactly how he had gotten to this point in his life, working with a madman capable of that. If he had been religious, he would now be praying. Tesla entered the compound. A hail of bullets followed, aimed at Tesla. Kate grabbed Henry's collar and threw him back. "Hey," he protested. But she was already running away, or rather towards the open door. He groaned. Didn't she realize that she was the most likely to get killed here? Then he realized that she probably didn't care about that kind of thing.

He turned on his wrist communicator and hailed Sanctuary. "Found the location. Tesla has entered the facility. He seems to have the situation under control." Wild snarling and bellowing could be heard from inside the building. "I think," Henry added.

"Jesus, Henry what the hell were you thinking? I wanted this to be a low key operation," Dr. Magnus hissed at him.

"I know, but he's difficult to argue with." Everything suddenly became quiet. Henry stood up again. "It seems to be over. I'm going in. I'll call you back." He switched it off again, ignoring her protests.

Henry took a few tentative steps inside the building, surveying the carnage. Someone's arm lay a few feet from the door. Henry swore. If he had wondered at Magnus's anger that Tesla had been the one to go in first, he certainly wasn't now. "Are any of them still alive? We needed to question..."

Tesla came from another room, dragging a bloodied victim. "He's alive. Maybe not for long. C'mon lets question him. I am skilled at interrogation." He sent a bolt of electricity into the man's body, making him twitch and spasm. "Oops," Tesla said dropping him. "He's dead."


	6. Chapter 6

(Author's note: I just love Tesla. He is so just so much fun to write about. And to watch on tv.)

"So what do you think? Is he infected," Tesla asked.

"I'm not sure. It may be the blood infection causing his symptoms," Helen told him. The two of them had bluffed their way into Spencer Reid's hospital room. She still wasn't sure that Tesla was the best choice to come with her, given his erratic behavior, but his knowledge on the other hand... "Here goes nothing." She pulled a vial containing a small amount of her own blood from the white coat she wore. She filled a syringe with it and slowly injected it into the IV.

Tesla made a small sound. She looked up at him. "Well, you've just met him..." An expression that she knew all too well crept across his face.

"Behave yourself," she hissed.

"Or what? Are you going to teach me a lesson? I might enjoy it."

"What ever you're thinking: no."

"But you haven't even heard-"

"No!"

"It's just that with intelligence like his-"

"Nikola!"

"He may have the genetic trait apparent in sanguine vampiris."

"Will you please, for once in your life-"

"Helen, you insult me. When have I ever done anything without thinking it through?"

"Do you really want me to answer that?"

"I just want a small sample of his blood so I can analyze it."

"Hurry it up, then."

"Have I ever mention how hot you look when you get angry?"

She grabbed him by the wrist and pulled him from the room.

"Ooh, I love it when you man-handle me."

"Stay here. Don't move." She walked away leaving him standing there.

* * *

SSAIC Aaron Hotchner left the elevator and headed to Reid's room. The hour was late and it had been a particularly grueling day. He was tired and after a brief visit just wanted to go home and see his son. He hardly expected to find someone already in the room.

"Who the hell are you?"

Tesla whirled around to face him. "Me? Who am I? That's a good question."

"What are you doing in here?"

"There you are!" Helen rushed past Hotchner and quickly grabbed hold of Tesla, hoping she could pull this off. "What are you doing, wandering again. And we've talked about this," she said, taking on an indulgent tone. She turned to the FBI agent. "I hope that he didn't cause any trouble. The poor dear, he thinks he is Nikola Tesla."

"Does anyone around here attempt to keep track of their patients?"

"I am Nikola Tesla!"

"Of course, you are." Turning her attention back to Hotchner, she said, "You should really hear his story sometime. Vampires and an empty gravesite. A secret and sinister society known as the Cabal. It's really quite imaginative."

"I'll kill everyone in this place. Just let me get ahold of my death ray."

"Now, now. No need to get all excited. Lets get you back upstairs." She led Tesla out of the room and into the stairwell. Once there, she immediatly turned on him. "What in God's name were you thinking?"

"I got a sample," he said, producing a syringe filled with blood.

She snatched it from his hand.

"Ooh, feisty."

"Did I not tell you to behave? Is it so hard for you to listen to me for a change?"

He looked affronted. "I was behaving myself."

"Has anyone ever told you that you are completly insufferable?"

"Only everyday of my life."


	7. Chapter 7

Sure, the shoe might hold the most dangerous of abnormals but Will often found himself down there. It was also the most quiet and he was able to concentrate better in the solitude.

Clara touched Will's cheek with trembling fingers, gently carressing his skin. He ignored her completly and began filling out paperwork. "Baby, why won't you look at me," she pleaded.

He flipped over to the next page and scanned through it.

Her voice became desperate. "Will, it's me. Clara."

He continued to disregard her presence.

"Just look at me, Will please. All the times we were together. When we made love..."

"Stop it, Cale," he said, forcefully.

The likeness of Clara vanished. He could hear Cale's laughter, from down the corridor.

* * *

Seeing Clara again had thrown him off, even if she hadn't been real. Will found his concentration suffering. Later, he was out with Magnus, helping secure a shipment to the facility.

"This is wonderful, _Candoia Beithir _from the Scottish Highlands. I've been trying to secure one for decades."

"It's a giant snake with wings," Will said.

"Oh come now, the wings are just for show. It can't fly. Don't let it bite you though. It's venom is non-fatal but it can be quite an unpleasant experience."

"I'll take your word for it."

"Dr. Helen Magnus," someone called.

She turned to look. The excitement faded from her expression. "Oh bloody hell."

"Nice to see you again too," the man said as he came up to them. He offered his hand to Will. "SSA David Rossi, with the FBI."

"You're THE David Rossi," Will said, taking his hand.

"Read my work, have you?"

"Well, yeah but...when my mom was murdered you worked the case. Um...remembering you, is kind of why I took up profiling." Will looked away, suddenly nervous.

Rossi looked briefly impressed but that wasn't why he was here. He turned back to Magnus. "I think you and I need to have a talk."

"I'm not sure what you mean."

He smirked at her denial. "Don't play that game with me. You know exactly what I'm talking about. Did you really think that I hadn't noticed you and your people running around trying to smooth things over?"

"Agent Rossi, now is not exactly the best time. Perhaps we can talk, later, at a more private location."

"Why is my team a target? Care to explain that to me?"

* * *

"What has it been? Twenty years?"

"Something like that but I already told you I didn't come here for trivialities. You have explaining to do."

"I believe the people responsible is using your team as a subsitute for my own while simultaneously exacting revenge upon you."

"Revenge? For what? The only instance I've had anything to do with your so-called abormals was when that boy's mother was slaughtered."

"Precisely."

"Those things were all wiped out. Or so you told me."

"There was a child. I advocated on his behalf. And you helped me secure his safe arrival to my facility."

"Right, I remember now. But you swore that he was the only one. Is he the one responsible for trying to kill my entire team?

"No! Henry would never be involved in such a thing!"

"Henry? You named it?"

Her eyes narrowed. "Henry is a person, just like you and I."

"I hardly think so. But nevermind that, if not him, than who?"

"We have one of the abnormals in our custody."

"Turn them over to me."

"That is out of the question."

Rossi laughed. "Maybe you don't understand my position on this."

"I do understand. I have personally taken measures to ensure Dr. Reid's well being. And if I'm not mistaken, Agent Jareau has overcome her affliction. You needn't worry on their behalf any longer."

"So just like that? It's over and I'm supposed to go home happy. I don't think so."

Helen sighed.

"I can have this place exposed to the media. Everything that goes on here. You and your entire staff will be crucified. Including your precious _Henry_."

"Resorted to blackmail and petty threats, have you? Really, I'm quite disapointed in you."

"I can't say that I am satisfied with our conversation here. However, I am a reasonable man. I'll give you the benefit of the doubt. But you better pray that I have no reason to come back to this place." He gave her a grim smile. "Because you won't like the outcome of my return, I promise you that."


	8. Chapter 8

London, 1875

John stepped out from the alleyway and into Helen's path. She froze and gasped, startled by his sudden appearance. Recovering, she gave a nervous laugh.

"Milady," he said smoothly, offering her his arm. He smiled in that wonderfully charming way he had and she felt her knees go weak. She returned his smile, and accepted, sliding her own arm around his. The two of them began to walk, and she rested her head against his shoulder for a moment, enjoying the bliss. She felt so safe here with him. She never wanted the moment, the feeling to end. She sighed contentedly.

She straightened again as they continued on their way. Three men waited ahead. She couldn't see their faces but she knew their silhouttes well. James Watson, Nigel Griffin and Nikola Tesla.

Tesla turned at that moment and saw them approaching. He smiled at Helen but his eyes flickered over to John and for the briefest second the smile seemed to falter. But then he was looking at Helen again and nothing seemed to have changed. She thought fleetingly that she may have imagined it but then banished it as the other two became aware of their arrival.

Vancouver, British Columbia 1988

Ashley screamed with delight as she ran down the hall. The three year-old wore nothing but her diaper and a bandanna thrown haphazardly over her head. Henry, now eight, ran after here, laughing as he went. Helen jumped out of the way, laughing as well. She clapped her hands together as she watched them. Some thing had been missing from Sanctuary, and her life, all these years. The laughter and presence of children. For once she felt like her old self again, as she had those long-gone days in London with her old friends. Of all, Watson was the only one left in her life. Nigel had settled to anonymity and simplicity, later dying a satisfied old man, the man she had loved so much, her dear John, becoming a sadistic butcher right underneath her nose and she failed to see it. And of course there was Nikola, who had fallen out of all contact, lost to obscurity som fifty years previous. She wondered would she ever see him, hear for him ever again.

It filled her with a sense of nostalgia. She sighed and turned her thoughts back to the present and the two screaming, laughing children in her care.

Present day, Vancouver

Helen walked into Henry's lab. He stood at one of his computers. Will was sitting nearby on one of the file cabinets, throwing a softball in the air and catching it. "Wow that Rivas chick is smokin' hot."

"Excuse me? She's what?"

Henry froze and although his back was to her, she could guess at the look he gave Will. "You could have warned me," he hissed under his breath.

"That was completly inappropriate, Henry."

"I know it was if you take it the way it sounds. I was only referring to the fact that she was from the Dominican Republic. It's a hot and steamy-It's a tropical enviroment and she must get rather warm while living there. Thats what I meant."

"Uh-huh, so I misunderstood you? That's what it is?"

Will couldn't supress a snicker. Henry shot him an angry look.

"Come on, now that was pretty lame...hey, he's right," Will said, leaning closer to the computer screen

"Oh god, Will, not you too," Helen groaned.

"Yeah I'd do her," Kate told them.

Henry's mouth fell open and Will choked on the soda he was drinking.

Helen rolled her eyes. "Children. I'm working with children. She's not a 'chick', she's a successful and independent young lady."

Henry ignored her and turned towards Kate.

"Don't," Will said.

"No, I want to know," Henry told him. "What exactly did you mean by what you said?"

Kate shrugged. "I meant that she's pretty damn fine. I'd like to tangle with that." She took a second look. "I bet she's a screamer," she said, biting her lower lip.

"No freakin' way," Henry said, staring at Kate.

"That's enough," Helen said harshly. "Conversation over. And to think, I came down here to congradulate everyone on a job well done, only to find you all acting like a bunch of juveniles."

Will shrugged and returned to throwing the ball in the air. Henry looked uncomfortable and Kate went back to doing whatever it was that she had been doing.

Helen sighed. Everyone of them was a test on her patience. Still she carried on. "Cale is safely locked away. Agent Rossi is off my back. His team well on the way to recovery and everything will getting back to normal now."

Will laughed. "Insanity is normal around here. I'd like a nice quiet day for once."

"If you wanted quiet then you wouldn't be working here," Henry pointed out.

"Touché," Will said.

Helen went back out. A second later, Will jumped up from his spot on the file cabinet and followed after her.

She was nearly at the stairwell when he caught up with her. "Hey, Magnus, can I ask you something?"

"Anything, Will."

"Is it really over?"

She gave him an curious look. "Of course it's over. What do you mean? Why wouldn't it be?"

He shrugged. "I don't know. The whole thing just feels...not right. Like something's been wrong the whole time and we just didn't see it."

"Everything's fine, Will. You're probably just stressed. Take a week if you need it."

"No I don't need a vacation. I just can't shake the feeling."

She sighed. "Duly noted. I trust your instincts. I'll keep my ear to the ground if it will make you feel better. But I think that you should try to relax. I don't think that anything catastrophic will be happening." She started down the stairs. She paused and looked back at him. "I meant nothing catastrophic, involving this case. There will, of course, always be a rabid Norweigen fell hound or a Russian-Inuit Selkie that needs containing somewhere."

"Of course," he said, with a half-smile.


	9. Chapter 9

Will paused, his eyes scanning the empty ballroom that spread out before him. Kali stood at the very center, her eyes beckoning him.

"I'm dreaming," he said, half-unsure.

"Say you so," she replied. She began to dance by herself, elegant sweeping movements.

"Right. Because this kind of thing happens everyday. Oh...wait, it does in my life."

"Durga, join me," she said, in a silken voice.

"But I don't know how to-"

She silenced him with a sultry glance. His breath caught in his throat and it was all he could do not to gawk, slack-jawed and drooling. "Yes, you do," she purred.

He took a few uncertain steps towards her. She closed the distance and pulled him against her. He shivered at the nearness of her.

"Cold," she asked, cocking an eyebrow.

"No, that's not the problem," he said, his voice breaking. He tugged at his collar.

She laughed softly, reveling in his discomfort.

A high pitched beeping broke the moment. Will sat up in bed. The room was empty but he reached instinctively to cover himself with a pillow. He turned off the alarm with his free hand.

The Makri danced on his ribcage. Will winced at this unnerving, but nearly familiar sensation. He let out a long sighing yawn, stretching his arms. He slid from the ground. His feet splashed in a thin layer of water and the drenched carpet squelched beneath them. He looked down at his feet, a little nonplussed and then shrugged. He took the robe that hung near the door and wrapped it around himself before going out.

Something resembling a pufferfish came floating down the hallway towards him. Will glanced at it once and then looked down and adjusted his slippers. It turned slowly in his direction and when it finally saw him, it let out a sound like a klaxon and promptly exploded into confetti. He shook and brushed the remnants from his sleeves.

There was a girl in the hallway, obviously an abnormal but one that passed as a normal human. She turned to him, looking wide-eyed and said, "None of this bothers you?"

New, obviously. He shrugged. "I've gone mad," he explained.

"Oh," she said softly. She looked like she was making a mental note to avoid him from here on.

He shrugged again and went downstairs to where the others were probably already meeting.

Predictably they were in the lab. _The only thing predictable about this place_, he said to himself.

"What," Helen asked, glancing up at him.

"Oh, did I say that outloud," he said, yawning.

"Oh, I hate this time of the year," Stephanie Rivas whined. She scratched furiously at her arms. "I'm moulting and it just itches so much."

"No, that's not too much information," Will said mildly.

She shook herself and for a moment the two of them were surrounded by a snowfall of multicolored feathers. Will thought again of the pufferfish.

Nikola Tesla was in high dudgeon, sitting in the corner on a stepping stool and nursing a bottle of rum. Will suddenly found himself missing the old Tesla. Immediatly after thinking this, he wondered if it was true; if he had in fact gone mad?

He sighed and decided it wasn't actually _that_ important. Just an occupational hazard.

There was a stack of papers sitting on the edge of a desk. He tried to lose himself in sorting through and reading over them, to avoid thinking about things too much.


End file.
